First foray into the icefall

April 18

Thursday offered the first eagerly anticipated climb above base camp. We left base camp at 5am to spend a couple of hours in the icefall. It is hard to describe the magnitude of the icefall which stretches upwards 800 meters from 5300m to Camp 1. It represents the edge of the glacier of the Western Cwm and is comprised of iceblocks the size of multi story houses. The scenery is quite magical with valleys and towers in either brilliant white or fluorescent icy blues. While the icefalls shifts the current route on the left edge where it 'flows' much slower has become a fairly safe place.

About 2hs up we encountered the first ladders which either span gaps in the ice blocks or steeper sections. At times several ladders are tied together to extend the c2m stretches. Quite daunting to cross but they have guide ropes on either side which fellow climbers hold tight on one end to stabilise the traverse. Luckily my shoe size has the spikes of the crampons neatly lock in between rungs and sometimes allow for quick lock downwards.

We reached 5750m thus stretching beyond the highest peaks in Australia, Antarctica and Europe before heading downwards again. While progressing back towards camp we were passed my numerous sherpas but also two very fast Westerners: Uli Steck and Simone. Uli is the Usain Bolt of climbing having scaled the Eiger Northface in under 3 hours. Unclear of what challenge he is up to this year after having scaled Everest last year.

Off to camp and a recovery day. Planning to head up to Camp1 on Saturday for a night at 6100m. Slowly working ourself up the mountain...